A Witch and Her Bulwark
by FishSkeleton
Summary: A young Chespin, Theodore, finds himself utterly enchanted by a charming (if not haughty) Braixen named Bellatrix. Exploring both characters as they come of age, discovering themselves and one another in the process, this compendium of non-sequential tales will detail snippets of the characters' budding relationship while they grow and change, both emotionally and physically.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey there!**

**A Witch and Her Bulwark will be a series of stories exploring the relationship of my Chespin, Theodore, and my girlfriend's Braixen, Bellatrix. Some entries will be short fluff pieces, others will be more serious tales that span multiple chapters. These are meant to be important snippets of their relationship, but they will not be written in chronological order; some days I'll feel like writing a chapter from Theodore's adulthood as a Chesnaught, and then I may write a chapter the very next week that jumps back to his youth as a Chespin.**

**This is my first attempt at writing fanfiction, Pokemon-related or otherwise, so I'd love some criticism, constructive or not! I hope you enjoy reading the first entry in this series, and don't be afraid to leave a review if you'd like to help me improve!**

* * *

It hadn't been all that long since Theodore's trainer released him from his pokeball to roam around the park, sending him off with a pat on the head and a quick scratch behind the quills. These meetings between the two trainers seemed to be getting all the more frequent, and the small Chespin wasn't entirely sure why his Papa saw fit to have so many of these get-togethers with that woman he was always seeing, but he didn't truly mind. After all, if the two trainers didn't have their hangouts then he wouldn't ever get to see the vulpine vixen that he so cherished. He would never get to watch her from afar, or try to make friends with the gorgeous pokemon that was so near and dear to his heart.

"Bella…" Theodore swooned as he pictured his goddess in all of her perfection and glory. Images of the haughty Braixen danced around in his mind, not the least of which was a spectacle Bellatrix never knew Theodore had been privy to. He hadn't meant to stumble across the female trainer fawning over her vulpine 'daughter' during a similar trip to the park, but he swore he'd never forget the furious shade of crimson coloring Bellatrix's cheeks as her trainer wicked a mascara brush across her lashes.

'_This is the day,'_ he decided with a wide, buck-toothed grin. _'This is the day I'll get her to notice me!' _ With a nod of his spiny head he skipped off into the denser parts of the park with a spring in his step.

* * *

By the time Theodore found his way back out of the brush the sun was setting and he knew their trainers would be coming to collect them soon enough. He was a bit dirtier than he would have liked given what he had in mind for the encounter, but he knew there wasn't any time to wash off if he wanted a chance to talk with her. His small dusty form dashed back to the populated section of the park as quickly as his tiny feet would carry him, one arm clasped to his back as he bolted.

"There you are!" Theodore called out, making a pair of certain pair of fluff-stuffed ears twitch, caught off-guard by the sudden breach of silence. "I've been looking for you, Bella," Theodore said between gasps.

"Bellatrix," the vulpine pokemon corrected. "Bella is what my friends call me," she said as she spared him a sidelong glance from atop the bench she was seated on, her charcoal paws kicking back and forth as she waited out her trainer's little get-together. Mentally she noted that the grass-type's pelt seemed even more earthy than normal, the chartreuse shell on his back evidently having jumped on that bandwagon as well. She eyed him like a dirty child as her entire form slinked away from him, lest he infect her with his filthiness. "What do you want, Theo?"

"I… I just, um…" He struggled to find the words now that the time had come to actually say them. He had planned out the encounter and rehearsed everything he wanted to say to the lovely Braixen, but Bellatrix's implication that she didn't even see Theodore as a friend knocked the prose right out of the little chestnut's head. "I was in the forest and I found these," he said as he took his hand out from behind his back. "I had to fight a Scatterbug for 'em, but they reminded me of you, so I thought you might like them. Here," he said as he extended his hand, a buck-tooth grin finding its way to the surface despite the hurt he felt from Bellatrix's all too familiar scorn.

Cocking a brow at the small Chespin, Bellatrix decided to humor him and looked down to see what he had brought her. Clenched a little too tightly in his small, childish hand were three flowers that wouldn't have looked out of place beneath a Flabebe, colored red, yellow, and white respectively. She took them from him and searched them for meaning, not entirely sure what Theodore had meant by them reminding him of her, and she was about to tell him just that before the realization struck her that the flowers did resemble her own coloring. All at once that blush Theodore so fondly remembered crept across her cheeks.

"S-Stupid," she mumbled. It was evidently her turn to have trouble finding her words. "My inner-ear is more of a vermillion, not flat out scarlet, and you didn't even find a black one," she pointed out as her gaze flicked to her paws. "Still… Thank you, Theodore," she said as she looked down at the modest gift, the glow peppering her cheeks lingering as she began to smile.

Bellatrix knew the Chespin had a crush on her for a while now, his painfully obvious attempts at winning her friendship making it far too clear to overlook, but she never found herself returning his feelings. He was small, innocent, childlike, and he still had a lot of growing up to do. He couldn't possibly protect her if she was in danger, as evidenced by how roughed up Theodore had gotten by fighting some common bug-type that she would've taken care of in a second with her pyromancy, and yet, she was constantly surprised by how kind he was to her. She always went out of her way to shut down any fantasies the Chespin had of winning her heart, but he kept trying to make her smile anyways, and today he had even put himself in a dangerous by fighting an insect despite his breed's weaknesses. He had done that just to make her happy.

Reaching a hand down to her side, Bellatrix gave the empty seat beside her a welcoming pat, her own visage still speckled with a crimson hue.

"R-Really?" the chestnut gasped in disbelief. "It's alright if I sit with you?!" _Bouncing_ in place at the very thought, Theodore beamed at the fox-like pokemon of his dreams.

"I-I won't offer again. Take it or leave it," she asserted, her eyes screwing shut in an attempt to disregard Theodore's over-the-top enthusiasm.

Bounding off of the grass and landing squarely on the bench beside Bellatrix, Theodore joined the Braixen in peaceful, reserved silence as they watched the sunset together. No words needed to be exchanged; the small grass-type was simply grateful to be by Bellatrix's side, and Bellatrix in turn did not have anything to say, instead taking the time to ponder how she felt about the surprisingly sweet, brave chestnut beside her. They stayed like this until the last rays of light peaked out over the dawn and their respective trainers came to collect the pokemon that they affectionately referred to as their 'children'. Theodore longed to be by Bellatrix's side once more as he departed the park by his trainer's side, while the Braixen in turn was left to contemplate the meaning behind the smile on her face and the rapid beating in her chest.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey there, everyone! Thanks for all the positive responses to the first chapter of A Witch and Her Bulwark! It sounds like I set a reasonably high bar for myself, so I hope I won't disappoint and that you'll all continue to enjoy this series in the future!**

**As always, please feel free to leave a review if you would like to critique my writing and help me improve, or if you would simply like to share your thoughts, however positive or negative they may be!**

**Also, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that I drew a bit of inspiration from Gurren Lagann while writing a scene from this chapter, so if you would like some accompanying music, turn on Hapily Ever After - Nakagawa Shoko ( watch?v=BFahCRRS1K8) when you see the double asterisk up until the following linebreak.**

* * *

"Fire Spin!"

Doing just as her trainer commanded, the vulpine witch raised her makeshift wand towards the sky and gave it a twirl. She conjured up a brilliant vortex of flame and pyroclasmic destruction that utterly entrapped the wild Weepinbell. Streaks of pure inferno lapped away at the carnivorous plant, searing each and every inch of its fiberous flesh. The unfortunate grass-type never stood a chance.

When the flames cleared on Route 16 the Braixen's charred opponent was undeniably unfit to continue fighting.

_'How many more of these pushovers are going to challenge us?'_ Bellatrix internally sighed. She was getting tired of possessed tree stumps, living key rings, and mushrooms that resembled pokeballs, but most of all she was tired of the damn yellow flowers the wild pokemon were jumping out of. '_The sooner we're done here the better,' _she thought.

It was only a matter of seconds before the field of flowers rustled again, and it took everything the Braixen had not to scream her frustrations out to the heavens.

Standing before Bellatrix was a face she had never seen before, let alone in the brief time since they reached the autumnal forest. It was mammalian, that much she could tell, but it was odd for a grass-dwelling creature. Azure flippers were jutting out of its forearms, and there was some sort of tube wrapped around its body. The vulpine sorceress wasn't sure what to make of the creature, but she was relieved to find that it seemed stronger than the other weaklings she had been squaring off against.

"Are you looking to challenge us?" Bellatrix asked the unfamiliar pokemon.

The otter-like creature didn't give a response, only offering a smirk at her inquiry. It fell down onto all fours and continued leering for a moment, maybe two, before a veil of water enveloped its body. Torpedoing at the Braixen like a thalassic rocket, Bellatrix's eyes snapped wide open as panic tore through her fail body. She just barely managed to step out of the creature's trajectory in time, several ivory tuffs of fur ripping out of her shoulder-to-shoulder mane as the pokemon grazed her. The beast gave Bellatrix no room to breathe, snapping around the second its feet touched the ground to launch another Aqua Jet assault towards the Braixen. This one connected. The shriek that escaped Bellatrix's throat threatened to rattle the entire forest.

A sickening, crackling hiss filled the air as water doused the fiery bipedal fox. Steam billowed off of her slender form as the liquid cooled her perpetually superheated core, dropping the Braixen's internal temperature to dangerously disastrous levels in a matter of seconds. She fell to her knees and began to quake, her entire form convulsing with a mixture of agony and terror.

"Bella, return!" The female trainer tried calling back her pokemon, but she sadly wasn't fast enough to intercept the water-type's onslaught.

The Floatzel wasn't done proving its point yet. It had always wanted to assert its strength to the other forest-dwellers, and toppling the cocky Braixen that had been knocking around all the other creatures in the woods was the perfect opportunity. It wouldn't let some trainer steal this moment of glory from it; not by a long shot. The aquatic weasel's form surged with water once more as it reared back, readying itself to storm Bellatrix a final time.

The battered vulpine winced as she tried and failed to stand to her feet. Realizing it was useless to try and avoid another torrential barrage in her condition, the Braixen closed her eyes and resigned herself to her fate. _'This might be it,'_ she thought. _'I'll either wake up at a pokemon center or I won't, simple as that. …At least it was a nice life while it lasted.'_ Images of happier times flashed before her eyes as she pictured her 'mother' dabbing her lashes with mascara, and watching the sunset with a certain kind, quilled chestnut. A lone tear rolled down her fuzzy cheek as she yearned to go back to that day in the park with Theodore. _'I'm really going to miss that little guy…'_

******An ear-splitting bang echoed through the forest, and the sound of rushing water continued to gush on. The Floatzel had collided with something, Bellatrix had deduced that much, but she didn't feel any less alive or more damaged than she had a moment ago. The fox cautiously opened her eyes. _'Green… Tan… Spikey…'_ she registered, her eyes darting about for any explanation as to why she might still be alive.

"Are you alright?" The tall humanoid's voice was gruff and heavy, yet warm and friendly all at the same time. Every inch of its body appeared to be armored in some way, not the least of which was the massive, spiney husk adorning his back. The creature had intercepted the Floatzel's attack and was continuing to hold it at bay with the massive spiked heater shield it had for an arm. "Bella?!" The unfamiliar pokemon shouted to the Braixen, panic clear in its voice.

"Y-Yes!?" She snapped out of her mental haze, the armored pokemon's commanding tone breaking her stupor and bringing her back into the moment. "Y-Yeah, I'm fine!"

"Good," he sighed, his tense tone dropping as the water-weasel rebounded off of his aegis. "You weren't really going to let someone as weak as this guy win, were you?" The pokemon chuckled as the shield on his arm began to shrink, receding into the chartreuse armor on his forearm.

"N-No, of course not! I was doing just fine before you showed up!" The Braixen knew she was lying, but she wouldn't let her combat prowess come into question so easily, even if the accuser had likely just saved her life.

"Right, of course you were," he chuckled. Turning his attention back towards Bellatrix's assailant his brow furrowed. Hate and distain were more than clear on his vengeful, seemingly offended visage. The armored pokemon crouched down low before breaking out into a sprint, charging at the Floatzel with the speed and power of a runaway train. The quills adorning his arms extended into keen daggers as he readied a Needle Arm attack; the water-type was too stunned by the brute's sudden intervention to evade the assault. A powerful blow from the bladed appendage sent the otter flying, smacking it into a tree with a thud and a crack before flopping to the ground.

Struggling just to open its eyes in the aftermath of the attack, the Floatzel wrestled with itself to remain conscious. It was badly wounded, but it had come too far to give up now. Willing itself to stand to its feet, the agile water-type dashed past the hulking creature and aimed itself at Bellatrix, cloaking itself in water once more as it went in for the finishing blow.

Bellatrix froze as she saw the creature sprint towards her, and for a brief moment she wondered if the friendly pokemon's heroics had all been for naught.

"FINISH IT! YOU CAN DO THIS!" The armored pokemon roared, knowing he wasn't fast enough to come to her aid again.

Time seemed to slow down as the Braixen watched the torrential burst fly towards her. A fluff-stuffed ear twitched as the gruff words found their way to her. Taking a deep breath, the fox found her center and knew what she had to do. She drew her wand and looked to her trainer, the two of them exchanging knowing glances before Bellatrix jabbed the stick out in front of her.

"PSYSHOCK!"

* * *

"You really did a number on the poor guy," the larger pokemon said, standing over the bruised and thoroughly knocked out Floatzel.

"He should've known better than to pick a fight with me," Bellatrix asserted with a huff. Looking up at the towering hulk beside her, the Braixen felt her cheeks begin to burn, though she couldn't tell if she was merely embarrassed over the creature's daring rescue, or if it was because of how strong, rugged and handsome he seemed- "S-So, I think I owe you a thank-you," she continued, if only to distract her mind from the increasingly attractive pokemon beside her. "I was in a bind back there and you lent me a hand without even being asked. So... Thank you. You know, for saving me..." Bellatrix looked down to the ground while nervously grinding a charcoal paw into the dirt. "How did you know I needed help, anyway?"

"I heard a scream. I knew it was your voice, so I came running as fast as I could. We were just up the road on our way to challenge Valerie, so I wasn't exactly far. Good thing, too; I don't wanna know what would've happened to you if we hadn't been in the neighborhood," the bulletproof pokemon chuckled.

"…You knew it was me? But we've never met-" As Bellatrix was saying that she recalled the moment when the pokemon had saved her, and more importantly, that he had addressed her by name.

"Theodore! Theo, bud, where'd you go?" called a voice that sounded familiar to the fiery vulpine.

Turning to look at the source of the noise, Bellatrix spotted the trainer who often spent time with her mom. Apparently he had gotten separated from Theodore, and for a moment Bellatrix shared the trainer's curiosity and concern. If there was one thing her near-death encounter had given her it was a new appreciation for how much the small Chespin meant to her, and the thought that he might have wondered off and gotten lost, never to return, rocked her to her very core. She spun around in place, looking for any green spines poking up out of the dry, sun-baked grass, but to no avail. _'There's no way – he has to be here somewhere. I didn't live through that just to never see him again – the world couldn't possibly be that cruel.'_

"There you are!" she heard the trainer yell. Snapping her gaze back to him, she was surprised to find that he was running towards her. She turned around, her first thought being that Theodore must have been behind her, but he was nowhere to be seen. That was when, out of her peripheral vision, she noticed the shadow cast by the large brute beside her, its arm swaying back and forth high over his head. He was waving. Looking back to the not-so-little, not-so-weak bastion of power and defense beside her, Bellatrix barely managed to stutter out her surprise.

"T-Theo?! I-Is that you?!"

Dropping his arm, the Chesnaught quirked a brow and looked down at the pokemon beside him. "What do you mean 'is it you?' Of course it's me. You didn't know this whole time?"

"How could I possibly have known it was you?! You're huge now!" Bellatrix cupped her hands together before spreading her arms out as wide as she could, hoping to convey how much bigger Theodore had gotten since their last get-together.

"Well, yeah, I guess I have grown a bit since thing. Put on some pounds here, grew some plating there."

"Y-Yeah," Bellatrix nodded, her cheeks beginning to burn once more. "Hey, Theodore… We, uh… We haven't seen each other in a while, right?" The Braixen gulped as she willed herself to be bold, her heart pounding in her chest and her head racing a mile a minute. "L-Let's not wait so long to see each other again, okay? We should meet up sometime soon; r-really soon, in-fact."

The Chesnaught brought a thick hand up to rub at the back of his head, his own cheeks beginning to burn at the thought of spending more time with the often haughty, lovely Braixen that was so near and dear to his heart. "Sure thing, Bella!" he said a little too enthusiastically. "Oh, maybe we could get some training done together!"

"Uh… Y-Yeah, sure, training," the fox forced out a laugh, the disappointment in her tone flying far over the brawny juggernaut's head. _'Not exactly romantic, but I guess that's what I get for turning him down so many times,'_ she groaned in her head, all but glaring at the oaf for not suggesting something more intimate, only to avert her gaze as the realization set in that she now _wanted_ the chestnut's affections.

"Great! Well, I made us a bit late for our showdown with Valerie, so we're gonna run on ahead. I'll see you soon, Bellatrix," Theodore said with a kind smile. He took his place at his trainer's side and found himself lost in thought as they disappeared back into the forest, dead-set on Laverre City and earning a Fairy Badge. _'She may never return my feelings,' _he thought, having come to terms with that fact long ago, _'but at least she wants to be my friend. That's something, right?'_

Staring at his fleeting form, Bellatrix found herself wishing she was walking alongside Theodore, her cheeks beginning to burn once more as she realized she'd made a huge mistake spurning his advances so many times before.

"Someone's got a crush," the female trainer pointed out with a giggle.

The Braixen brought two thin, woefully inadequate paws up to her face, hoping they would manage to hide her blushing visage from her mother's gaze.


End file.
